Systems and methods for determining at least one property of fluid

Abstract

A system for determining a property of a fluid includes a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array located within the sensing cable; a heating element aligned with the optical fiber sensor array; and a nucleating surface, surrounding the sensing cable, to induce boiling of the fluid exposed to the nucleating surface when heated by the heating element. A system for determining a property of a fluid includes a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array located within the sensing cable; and a heating element, aligned with the optical fiber sensor array, to continuously heat the fluid exposed to the sensing cable. A system for determining a property of a fluid includes a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array; and a heating element, aligned with the optical fiber sensor array, to heat the fluid exposed to the sensing cable to induce nucleate boiling of the fluid.

1 . A method for determining at least one property of a fluid, comprising:
 heating the fluid exposed to a sensing cable to induce nucleate boiling of the fluid at a nucleating surface at least partly surrounding the sensing cable; and   determining the at least one property of the fluid based at least in part on output of the sensing cable.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the step of determining the at least one property of the fluid further comprising monitoring the output of the sensing cable with an optical signal interrogator. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the at least one property of the fluid further comprises determining temperature from the output of the sensing cable 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 classifying the output of the sensing cable as one classification in a set of classifications including at least a stable condition classification and an unstable condition classification, determined based at least in part upon the output of the sensing cable.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heating the fluid exposed to a sensing cable further comprising heating the fluid exposed to the sensing cable in a tray of a distillation column. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the determining the at least one property of the fluid further comprises identifying at least one interface between one or more of (a) two phases of matter present within the fluid, (b) two species present within the fluid, and (c) the fluid and a surrounding atmosphere. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the identifying at least one interface further comprises determining a difference in the output of the sensing cable corresponding to adjacent sensor locations of a plurality of sensor locations, the plurality of sensors locations aligned orthogonally to a bottom surface of the tray. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heating the fluid exposed to a sensing cable further comprises continuously heating the fluid exposed to the sensing cable. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising controlling the heating element with an excitation source communicatively coupled with the optical signal interrogator. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the controlling the heating element is based at least in part on a measurement made by a secondary sensor communicatively coupled with the excitation source. 
     
     
         11 . A system for determining at least one property of a fluid, comprising:
 a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array located within the sensing cable;   a heating element aligned with the optical fiber sensor array; and   a nucleating surface, at least partly surrounding the sensing cable, to induce boiling of the fluid exposed to the nucleating surface when heated by the heating element.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising an optical signal interrogator, communicatively coupled with the optical fiber sensor array, to monitor output of the sensing cable and determine the at least one property based at least in part on the output of the sensing cable. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the optical signal interrogator is adapted to measure temperature and wherein the output of the sensing cable corresponds to a temperature measurement. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a control unit, coupled to the optical signal interrogator, to classify the output of the sensing cable as one of a predetermined set of classifications including at least a stable condition classification and an unstable condition classification, determined based at least in part upon the output of the sensing cable. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid is located in a tray of a distillation column. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the optical fiber sensor array further includes a plurality of sensor locations aligned orthogonally to a bottom surface of the tray, and wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the at least one property of the fluid exposed to the sensing cable by identifying at least one interface between one or more of (a) two phases of matter present within the fluid, (b) two species present within the fluid, and (c) the fluid and a surrounding atmosphere. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the control unit is further configured to identify the at least one interface by determining a difference in the output of the sensing cable corresponding to adjacent sensor locations of the plurality of sensor locations. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising an excitation source, communicatively coupled with the optical signal interrogator, to control the heating element with a heat signal. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the heat signal is chosen based at least in part on a measurement made by a secondary sensor communicatively coupled with the excitation source. 
     
     
         20 . A system for determining at least one property of a fluid on a tray of a distillation column, comprising:
 a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array located within the sensing cable;   a heating element aligned with the optical fiber sensor array;   a nucleating surface, at least partly surrounding the sensing cable, to induce boiling of the fluid exposed to the nucleating surface when heated by the heating element;   an optical signal interrogator, communicatively coupled with the optical fiber sensor array, to monitor output of the sensing cable and determine the at least one property based at least in part on the output of the sensing cable, wherein the optical signal interrogator is adapted to measure temperature and wherein the output of the sensing cable corresponds to a temperature measurement;   a control unit, coupled to the optical signal interrogator, to classify the output of the sensing cable as one of a predetermined set of classifications including at least a stable condition classification and an unstable condition classification, determined based at least in part upon the output of the sensing cable,   wherein the optical fiber sensor array further includes a plurality of sensor locations aligned orthogonally to a bottom surface of the tray, and wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the at least one property of the fluid exposed to the sensing cable by identifying at least one interface between one or more of (a) two phases of matter present within the fluid, (b) two species present within the fluid, and (c) the fluid and a surrounding atmosphere.